Microwave flower press

ABSTRACT

A device for pressing and drying organic materials in a microwave oven. The organic material is inserted between two sheets of thin cloth which are, in turn, sandwiched between two thick felt pads. These pads are then sandwiched between platens made from inorganic material. The assembly is placed in a microwave oven and heated, resulting in a pressed and dried organic material.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to pressed, dried flowers and other organicmaterials and to presses for drying such materials.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has long been known to dry and press flowers and other organicmaterials by sandwiching the flower or material between sheets ofabsorbent material (such as cloth or felt) which are backed by morerigid materials and applying pressure. The use of books to dry and pressflowers is one example of this technique. Eventually, the flower willdry. However, problems of absorption of the excess moisture from thisdrying process arise. Moreover, such conventional approaches aretime-consuming and lead to color loss in the pressed material.

Microwave ovens have been used to facilitate the drying and pressingprocess. For instance, an article from the London Times entitled How toBloom in a Basket (Jan. 21, 1990), heralding a weekend course onpressing and drying flowers, discloses sandwiching flowers betweenblotting paper and newspaper and placing the assembly in a flower pressand then in a microwave oven. Glorious Pressed Flower Projects byCellestine Hannemann (1991) also discloses use of a microwave oven inthe flower drying process. In Glorious Pressed Flower Projects, theflowers are placed on a polyester pad, and a flat sheet of chipboard ispressed atop the flowers. Marble or glass weights are used to flattenand weigh down the sandwich of flowers. The sandwich is then placed in amicrowave oven and heated. Australian Patent No. 695560 to Beecroftdescribes a flower press in which a flower is sandwiched between thinabsorbent sheets backed by felt pads. The pads are then sandwichedbetween plastic platens held together by clips. The assembly is thenplaced in a microwave oven.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a device for pressing and drying organic materials ina microwave oven. The organic material is inserted between two sheets ofthin cloth which are, in turn, sandwiched between two thick felt pads.These pads are then sandwiched between platens made from inorganicmaterial, preferably ceramic, such as unglazed terra cotta. The assemblyis placed in a microwave oven and heated, resulting in a pressed anddried organic material.

This invention vastly improves the microwave drying and pressingprocesses of the prior art. Terra cotta platens are inexpensive andeasily molded into desired shapes. Moreover, because some ceramics, suchas terra cotta, are not fully microwave transparent (as opposed to theplastic platens of the prior art which are fully microwave transparent,resulting in over-drying of the flower), the drying process is tempered,rendering cracking and scorching of the flower or plant less likely andenhancing the color-retention of the organic material. In addition,ceramics like terra cotta, unlike plastic, are a moisture absorbentmaterial. The moisture from the drying process is therefore transferredfrom the felt backing to the ceramic platens, which moderates the dryingprocess. Furthermore, the weight of the platens obviates the need forseparate weights or clips to secure and press the two platens together.

The design of the platens also facilitates the drying and pressingprocess. The platens are ventilated with holes to allow for moisture toescape during the drying process. The corners of the platens have raisedfeet which support the assembly, preventing contact between the lowerplaten and the microwave oven floor. This allows for vapors to escapefrom the lower platen as well as the top platen, thus facilitating thedrying process. Moreover, rubber bands may be looped around the platensto increase the pressing pressure during the drying process and tosecure the platens together for storage purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the flower press.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the flower press 10 of thisinvention. A flower or other organic material 12 is inserted between twocloth sheets 14, 16. While the sheets 14, 16 may be made from a varietyof absorbent materials including cotton and linen or various blends ofeach, a cotton/polyester blend is particularly effective. The clothsheets 14, 16 are, in turn, inserted between two pads 18, 20. Felt, woolfelt in particular, while only one of a variety of possible absorbentmaterials from which to manufacture the pads 18, 20, has proven to beparticularly useful in this application. The pads 18, 20 are then placedbetween platens 22, 24, and the resulting assembly is placed in themicrowave oven and heated to dry and press the flower 12.

The platens 22, 24 may be made from a variety of inorganic materialspossessing suitable physical properties including structural integrity,substantial weight, and adequate strength. The platens should berelatively dense and therefore heavy. A density of at least about 1.5g/cm³ is preferred. Additionally, the chosen material, while beingpartially transparent to microwave radiation, need not be fullymicrowave transparent. It is also desirable that the chosen materialhave the capacity to absorb moisture and to include passages formoisture vapors. The passages permit rapid moisture removal, but theabsorption moderates the process so that drying does not occur toorapidly, as can occur with moisture impermeable materials. Particularlyuseful materials possessing these properties include porous ceramicsmanufactured, for instance, from clay, such as unglazed terra cotta.

The platens 22, 24 are ventilated with holes 26, 28 to allow moisture toescape during the drying process. The corners of the platens 22, 24 areequipped with raised feet 30, 32 which perform two important functions.First, the feet 30, 32, which support the assembly, prevent contactbetween the lower platen 24 and the microwave oven floor, thus allowingvapors resulting from the drying process to escape through the holes 28of the lower platen 24. The feet 30, 32 also facilitate stability of thepress 10. When a rubber band or other securing device 34 is loopedaround the platens 22, 24 to increase the pressing pressure during thedrying process and to secure the platens 22, 24 together for storage,the feet 30, 32 of the platens 22, 24 prevent the securing device 34from slipping off the platens 22, 24. Finally, an ornamental design 36adorns the platens 22, 24, giving this functional device a much moreaesthetically pleasing appearance.

The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, anddescribing embodiments of the present invention. Further modificationsand adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilledin the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A press for drying and pressing organicmaterials, comprising two platens and two pads of moisture permeablematerial positioned between the platens, wherein at least one platencomprises moisture absorbent unglazed terra cotta and wherein theorganic materials are positioned between the platens when the press isin use.
 2. The press of claim 1, wherein the platens are perforated. 3.The press of claim 1, wherein each platen has a density of at leastabout 1.5 g/cm³.
 4. The press of claim 1, wherein the corners of theplatens have raised feet.
 5. The press of claim 1, wherein the padscomprise felt.
 6. The press of claim 5, wherein the pads comprise woolfelt.
 7. The press of claim 1, further comprising two sheets of moisturepermeable cloth.
 8. The press of claim 7, wherein the cloth sheetscomprise cotton.
 9. The press of claim 7, wherein the cloth sheetscomprise linen.
 10. The press of claim 1, further comprising means forsecuring the platens together.
 11. The press of claim 10, wherein thesecuring means comprises a rubber band.
 12. A press for drying andpressing organic materials, comprising two cloth sheets sandwichedbetween two felt pads which are in turn sandwiched between twoperforated, unglazed terra cotta platens, wherein the organic materialsare positioned between the platens when the press is in use.
 13. Thepress of claim 12, wherein terra cotta has a density of at least about1.5 g/cm³.
 14. A method for drying organic material, comprising: (a)placing the organic material between two cloth sheets; (b) sandwichingthe cloth sheets and the organic material between two felt pads; (c)sandwiching the felt pads, the cloth sheets and the organic materialbetween two platens comprising unglazed tera cotta to form an assembly;and (d) subjecting the assembly to microwave radiation at a sufficientpower level and for a sufficient period of time to dry the organicmaterial.